Animated flashlight figurine



Nov. 26, 1957 A. GELARDIN 2,814,158

ANIMATED FLASHLIGHT FIGURINE Filed Feb. 8, 1954 @EIM INVENTOR ATTORNEY' United States Patent ANIMAIED FLASHLIGHT FIGURINE Albert Gelardin, New York, N. Y.

Application February 8, 1954, Serial No. 408,639

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-228) The present invention relates to a novelty nosey lighting, plastic animal figure ilashlight.

Although not limited thereto, the present invention will be particularly described in its application to a novelty plastic flashlight article in which a human head or other animal ligure is provided with a projected bulbous nose, which may be lighted, which plastic article may be worn upon the person or attached to the clothing, or may be suitably mounted elsewhere.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an attractive, inexpensive, compact, small flashlight device of the character described in which by relatively simple manipulation a flashing effect may be obtained in connection with a body member which will attract atten tion thereto.

Another object is to provide a novel, compact flashlight construction of general application, but which may be specifically applied to a human head or animal figure to obtain a novelty flashlight eifect.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactory ac-cording to one embodiment of the present invention to provide a human head in which the flashlight is caused to project forwardly to form a bulbous nose put on the head with the base of the ilashlight bulb being mounted interiorly on a transverse thin sheet spring metal member.

Desirably a small flashlight battery is lodged at the bottom of the plastic shell with its main dimension transverse to the longitudinal dimension of the bulb and transverse to the fore and aft axis of the head.

To establish an electrical circuit, a resilient spring member may be provided contacting the pole or the shell of the battery at one side and desirably specifically bent into contact with the end or shell of the bulb at the other end.

To establish the contact or circuit, a pull cord may be provided which will press the resilient contact against the screw shell of the bulb and thus establish the circuit which will light the bulb.

The resiliency of this spring contact upon release of the pull cord will break the circuit and extinguish the bulb.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

2,814,158 Patented Nov. 26, 1957 ICC Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a novelty flashlight according to the present invention simulating the face of Santa Claus.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the flashlight device of Fig. 1 with the rear cover applied.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view similar to Fig. 2 with the rear cover removed.

Fig. 4 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken upon the line 4 4 of Fig. l looking downwardly and showing the transverse bulb.

Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view showing the back cover plate by itself.

Fig. 6 is a side perspective view showing the pin device for mounting the article upon the clothing of the wearer.

Fig. 7 is a locking device for locking the cover `of Fig. 5, and pin of Fig. 6, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a side perspective view of the reciprocatory contact and circuit closure element.

Fig. 9 is a side perspective view of the fixed contact element which is permanently mounted on the inside end of the flashlight and also carries the circuit to the shell of the battery.

Basically the object consists of a thin face shell A, having a nose B, which forms the end of the flashlight bulb C.

The shell is provided with a rear cover D, also of thin mounted plastic shown by itself in Fig. 5 and in assembly in Figs. 2 and 4.

Interiorly of the face shell A there is positioned a swinging contact E and fixed contact F. The lower and large chamber G of the face shell A receives the ashlight battery H.

The mounting safety pin I shown by itself in Fig. 6 and in assembly in Figs. 2 and 4, together with cardboard element K locks the back plate D in position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

The head shell A consists of a thin body which has the side recesses 10 and 11 to receive the ear extensions 12 and 13 of the back plate D and it also has a recess 14 to receive the locating extensions 15 of the back plate D.

Interiorly the lower chamber G of the face shell A has the reinforced ridges 16 and 17 and the locating ridges 18 and 19, which locate the middle portion of the swinging switch closure member E.

The interior is also provided with the upstanding posts mounted integrally in position 2t), 21 and 22.

The posts 2l) and 21 locate the fixed spring contact element while the post 22 locates the swinging spring contact member E.

There is also a further post 23 which holds the shell 24 of the battery in position against the bottom 25 of the enclosure or compartment G.

Furthermore, the posts 20, 21 and 22 terminate below' the edge of the face shell A and are spaced from the` rear closure plate D.

The post 23, however, extends through the opening 26 in the rear closure plate or cover D and is slotted at 27 to receive both the lower portion 28 of the safety pin J, as well as the upward projection 29 of the locking plate K.

The front of the shell has eye openings at 30 and 31 which expose the openings 32 and 33, respectively, of the top at member of the swinging contact E.

It will be noted by [reference to Fig. 3 that the plate 34 may have an upper solid line position as indicated at M and a lower dot and dash position as indicated at N.

When this occurs, the eyes appear to give a winking effect which adds to the attractiveness of the illuminated nose. i

The casing is also provided with a forward opening 45 at the lower corner 46 of the face plate 47. Through this opening projects the string 48 upon which the lower portion may have a tag or bell 49, which will enable grasping by the linger to close the circuit and actuate the light.

The back plate D shown best in Fig. 5 has an upper stud 50 with a slot 51 to receive the portion 52 of the mounting pin I.

The back plate D has the ridge 53 which also acts to contact the extension 54 of the mounting pin I.

The curl or spiral pivot base 55 of the pin I will extend above the stud 50 while the catch 56 and the pin point 57 will extend below the pivot above the projecting stud 23.

The zig zag extensions 54 and 58 will rest firmly against the back of the cover plate D between the ridges 53 and 59 when the pin is locked in position in the slots 51 and 27.

The portion 28 of the pin J is locked in position in the slot 27 by the upwardly extending element 29 of the locking plate K which has the rectangular base portion 60.

The contact elements are best shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and the contact element E of Fig. 8 has lower curved contact element 70, which is pressed at 71 against the wall 72 of the chamber or compartment G.

The battery pole '73 will press against the middle of the curved portion as indicated at 74.

The resilient Contact element E then has an inwardly extending portion 75 which has a ridge 76 to tit over and contact the post 22 as shown in Fig. 3.

The ridges 18 and 19 will hold the element E in position on each side of the post 22 as shown best in Fig. 3.

Extending upwardly from the bent rounded groove portion is the plate 77 which has the outwardly extending finger 78.

This linger 78 is designed to contact the screw shell '79 1of the bulb B to close the circuit when the cord 48 is pul ed.

The upper portion of the plate 77 has a transverse slot S0 which receives the knot 81 of the cord 48.

The upper portion of the cord then extends inwardly across the flat portion 77 and then outwardly around the corner 82 so that when there is a pull on the cord portion as indicated .at 83, the knot will tend to be pulled into the end of the slot S0 and will not loosen.

The end of the cord beyond the knot 81 may be attached on to the rear of the plate 34 so as to provide a means to give a winking effect to the holes 32 and 33 forming the pupils of the eyes as shown in Fig. l.

The cord then extends as indicated at 85 over the grooves of the screw shell 79 of the bulb B. It then extends downwardly as indicated at 86 to the opening 45.

The swinging contact E under its own resiliency will assume the solid line position M and when pulled by the cord 48 to close the circuit will assume the dot and dash line position N.

The swinging contact element E normally will be held loosely in position in the face shell A as shown in Fig. 2 with the corners 87 and 71 pressed against the side of the shell, with the rounded portion 74 pressed against the pole 73 of the battery H and with the grooved portion 76 held in position by the post 22 and the ridges 18 and 19.

In respect to the iixed contact element F shown by itself in Fig. 9, the end 100 is soldered as indicated at 102 to the tip 101 of the bulb B.

The hip plate 103 has an opening 104 which receives the end of the post 20.

The post is desirably formed of a thermoplastic resin or other material which can be mushroomed or enlarged over the contact plate 103 and hold it permanently in position.

Normally the contact element F and the bulb B are formed as separate assembly in the head shell A and then by applying a soldering iron to the projecting end of the post 20 which projects through the opening 104 in the plate 103 a permanent mounting is obtained.

The element F also has a transverse plate 105 which contacts the side wall of the head shell A 4and it has the extending section 106 which contacts the post 21 as well as the shell section.

The lower end is curved as indicated at 107 and its central bulge portion 108 contacts the base 109 of the battery shell 24 as shown best in Fig. 3.

In assembly the shell A and the back plate D are preferably tirst molded of cellulose acetate or styrene by injection molding procedures.

The bulbs B are desirably provided or tinted so that the projecting nose portions which extend through the opening in the face shell A will be tinted red.

The bulbs are then assembled with the fixed contact F by soldering at 102 and then are mounted upon the post 20 by enlargement of the end of the post 20.

Desirably the battery H is inserted in the lower compartment G together with the movable contact E.

The movable Contact E has iirst been assembled with the pull cord 48 so that the knot is in the slot 80 and the cord will extend around the corner 82 and tend to pull the knot 81 more tightly into the slot 80.

The cord is then extended over the screw shell 79 so that it will ride in one of the grooves as indicated at 85.

Then the back plate D is positioned with the extensions 12, 13 and 15 engaging in the notches 10, 11 and 14.

Finally safety pin I is inserted in position with the portion 52 tting in the slot 51 and the portion 28 fitting in the slot 27.

The cord in the meanwhile will have extended through the opening 45 and the bell 49 attached.

The cardboard locking element K may then be inserted to hold the assembly together.

When the cord 48 is pulled, the contact tab 78 will be moved into position with the screw shell 79 establishing a circuit through the battery H, the curved contact finger 70 and 107, the soldered portion 102 and through the contact spur 78.

When this is done, there will be a movement of the openings 32 and 33 across the openings 30 and 31, giving a winking effect.

The cord 48 is desirably made of a smooth, silky material such as rayon or nylon.

While the casing has been shown in a particular box shape, with an associated cover cooperating therewith to give a desirable design effect, which, in the instant case, is that of a Santa Claus having an illuminated bulbous nose, it will, of course, be understood that any suitable configuration may be imparted to the casing and to its cooperating cover without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The novel switch construction is susceptible of variation in its several parts without altering the fundamental electrical characteristics of the flashlight structure.

A pull switch of the type shown provides a maximum of flexibility for the operation of the device, and the pin securing means makes the device readily available as a novelty ornament, as well as a practical tiashlight.

As many changes could be made in the above novelty nose lighting, plastic animal figure flashlight, and many widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claim. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,

What is claimed is:

A flashlight comprising a box-like casing simulating a figurine having nose and eye openings in one face thereof; a cover detachably secured to the casing; spring metal liexible blades serving as switch members; a battery in the casing; a lamp having a bulb extending through said nose opening; an oscillatable panel having simulated eye elements mounted on one of said blades; said oscillatable panel overlying the lamp; a draw string se- References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Soreng Ian. 24, Starr June 3, Martial et al. Nov. 4, Ciampa Jan. 4, 

